Policy Commitments

Please see below for policies relating to the Building Bridges programme, which is jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund and the European Social Fund. Follow the ‘Download Full Policy’ buttons under each policy to read the policy in full, a table noting any revisions to these policies (including the date they were revised) is also included in the full policy documents:

Building Bridges Programme Privacy Notice

Background

The Building Bridges programme treats the information we hold about our programme participants very seriously and we will comply with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679.

The Building Bridges Programme is the local implementation across Swindon and Wiltshire of the national Building Better Opportunities (BBO) programme, which is jointly funded by the European Social Fund and the National Lottery, via the Big Lottery Fund. The Managing Authority for the national BBO programme is the Department for Work and Pensions ESF Team.

The Building Bridges Programme is delivered by a partnership of 40 organisations, led by Community First, working collaboratively under a legal Partnership Agreement

The principles that we operate for all our participant data are:

We only capture and store the minimum amount of data we need to provide our service and meet the needs of our funders.

We will only share participant information with the Big Lottery Fund, or other authorised bodies, in relation to the operation of the BBO Programme and it will only be shared in a secure manner.

We will not share any of our participant data to be included on any marketing or mailing lists

We are required to store participant data in both hard copy and electronic formats to meet the needs of our funders.

We have put in place a secure Management Information System in order to ensure that participant data can be shared and stored as securely as possible between our programme partners.

Each of our partner organisations has a data protection and security policy in place and the Building Bridges Partnership Agreement details how the partners will work together to ensure participant data is protected when they are working collaboratively to support them.

All participant information, both hard copy and electronic, will be stored securely and retained at least until 31 December 2026 to meet the requirements of our funders.

This information will be used to evaluate this project and to report to the Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund for monitoring purposes. Participants may be contacted by these funders to discuss their involvement in the project.

We will dispose of all participant information, both hard copy and electronic, in a secure manner after 31st December 2026 or later if required by our funders.

If participants wish to view the information that the programme holds about them, they should formally apply in writing to the Building Bridges Programme Manager, Community First, Unit C2 Beacon Business Centre, Hopton Park, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 2EY.

Environmental & Sustainability Policy

In the UK Sustainable Development Strategy ‘Securing the Future’ 2005, the government aims to have a sustainable, innovative and productive economy that delivers high levels of employment, a just society that promotes social inclusion, sustainable communities and personal well-being, in such a way as to protect and enhance the physical and natural environment and use resources and energy as efficiently as possible.

The three core issues to be addressed are:

A better local environment

A better local economy

Better social conditions

The Building Bridges Partnership recognises its responsibility, both as a Partnership and as individual organisations, to Sustainable Development and is committed to meeting the requirements of relevant legislation to ensure the project meets the environmental, economic and social needs of both current and future generations in an integrated way. Our aim is to reduce the impact on the environment from our operations.

Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities Policy

The Building Bridges partnership is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all, and ensuring that no individual is discriminated against in the planning and delivery of any of our activities.We therefore aim to ensure that the values of equality, diversity, and respect for all are embedded into everything that we do.

This policy is intended to demonstrate the commitment to eliminating discrimination and encouraging and valuing diversity among staff, managing committees, trustees, volunteers, partners, suppliers and those people we support.

We recognise our responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, and are committed to meeting them in full. We believe that a culture that embraces equality and values diversity will help us to ensure that everyone feels involved and included in our plans, programmes and activities.

Building Bridges Whistleblowing Policy

1. Policy Statement

The Building Bridges Partnership will not condone any form of malpractice in the delivery of the programme and is committed to creating a safe, fair and honest environment for those employed in the delivery of the programme and our participants.

The Building Bridges Partnership’s Whistleblowing policy encourages and enables those employed in the delivery of the programme and our participants to speak out when they encounter or suspect malpractice.

No one who raises a genuine concern about malpractice will be at risk of losing their job or suffering any other form of retribution or detriment as a result of doing so, including harassment or victimisation.

This Policy applies to all those employed in the delivery of the programme and our participants.

We recognise that individual organisations within the Building Bridges Partnership will have their own Whistleblowing Policies and this Policy is intended to operate in conjunction with these in matters relating to the delivery of the Building Bridges Programme.

Building Bridges Anti-Fraud Policy

The purpose of this policy is to set out the Building Bridges Programme position on fraud and set out responsibilities for its prevention. It also refers those involved in delivering the programme to the Fraud Response Plan, which outlines the action to be taken if they discover or suspect fraud.

The Building Bridges Programme requires everyone involved in delivering the programme to act honestly and with integrity at all times and to safeguard the resources for which they are responsible.

Fraud is an ever-present threat to these resources and hence must be a concern of all members of staff and volunteers involved in the programme.

We recognise that individual organisations within the Building Bridges Partnership will have their own Anti-Fraud Policies and this Policy is intended to operate in conjunction with these in matters relating to the delivery of the Building Bridges Programme.

This Policy also operates in conjunction with the Building Bridges Programme Whistleblowing Policy.

Our Funding

The Building Bridges programme is jointly funded the European Social Fund and the National Lottery, via the Big Lottery Fund. Find out more about our funding and the partners involved in supporting the Building Bridges programme in Wiltshire and Swindon.

About the Programme

The Building Bridges programme supports people across Swindon and Wiltshire who are facing significant challenges in being able to develop their skills, access education or move towards the world of work. The programme is a partnership of organisations who are experts at supporting people and giving them the skills and confidence they need to move forward. Taking part in the programme is voluntary and all of the advice and support is offered free of charge.

The programme is jointly funded by the European Social Fund and the National Lottery, via the Big Lottery Fund.